Sheffield Eagles swoop for exciting young wing prospect

Sheffield Eagles have further enhanced their Papua New Guinea contingent with the signing of winger Garry Lo.

The former Newcastle Thunder speedster has agreed a three-year deal with the club and joins fellow newcomer and compatriot Mark Mexico amongst the Eagles ranks.

Lo strengthens the wing position vacated by the departures of Scott Turner and Misi Taulapapa and will now compete with the experienced Rob Worrincy and the up-and-coming Ryan Millar for a place in the side.

The 22-year-old is another youthful addition to the new-look Eagles, and after Lo’s troubled experience of English shores with Thunder, Aston hopes that the experience will have matured a player that he tried to sign at the start of last season.

“I have known about Garry for a couple of years and Stanley (Gene, Newcastle coach) came in and whipped him from right underneath my grasp 12 months ago and brought him to Newcastle,” Aston confirmed to The Star.

“He didn’t settle, it didn’t happen for whatever reason but he is dynamic, he is explosive, he is quick. He is only young, he is short in stature but he is really explosive so he is certainly going to add something to that backline which is very important for us.”

Lo joined Newcastle in 2014 only to make a u-turn during the campaign and return to PNG Hunters where he had enjoyed considerable success. He shot to prominence with some eye-catching performances in the Queensland Cup, and that’s the form that Aston is looking to prise out of the talented winger during his time at Eagles.

“His arrival gives us more strength, he set the Queensland Cup on fire a couple of years ago and became the rookie of the year,” Aston adds.

“He was the top try scorer in the first year for PNG Hunters, and I believe that Garry can be anything that he wants to be in the game.”

Aston is excited about the dynamic which is forming in his wide areas and has stressed that he hasn’t finished yet as he continues to search for a fourth wide man to complete the set.

He adds: “When you look at the wingers that we have, then we have got strength with Ryan Millar, Rob Worrincy and Gary Lo. We are still looking for one other so there is really good competition for places in there which is important.”